Indepandant Parenting
by Makitog
Summary: Watari's POV of L's strange, changing behavior as he grows up, set in a time where L was sixteen. No pairing, just a cute late-night drabble. Death Note R


_A/N: _This was a quick, 12:00am one-shot/drabble thingie. The idea of a younger L was very appealing to me, and who else but Watari would know how things were back then? (Besides L, of course...) I might add a few drabbles onto this, I haven't decided yet. Ah well. Let me know if you have any ideas on the days of a younger L xDD Enjoy, Makitog~

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The story of himself, as he saw it, was always an interesting one to consider if he did say so himself. While waiting quietly for something as he was right now, it was an interesting memory to retrieve.

It has always been said that the great Quillish Wammy was a successful man. His inventions had always began as intelligent designs and then proceeded into an exceptional creation; a small amount of flaws were found in his work, and when they were, it was deemed minor. Inventing had been a way that he felt could change people's lives. Creating something ingenious to aid in human advancement gave him the chance to give his kindness, however staying in the background curtains he preferred.

He had always been content with himself. Inventions had given the man the chance to enrich the lives of others, and he genuinely enjoyed the feeling of helping. He felt as if he could continue forever. However, after spontaneously checking his accounts and their balances one late evening, he realized that the amount of money he had been far more than at first realized. A man could only eat so much steak, only buy so many Alexander Amousu suits, and read so many books in a night. He figured he needed to do something with his fortune, and the man decided on what almost in that moment.

He and Roger, a close friend of his, then proceeded to create orphanages; the most famous one being Wammy's House. He had then assigned himself an alias, becoming Watari, and then decided every child who would reside in Wammy's House would gain one as well for their own safety. Children of such calibre could easily become victims and used without the proper training.

Wammy's House, being such a place for talented, intelligent children brought him further opportunity to help people; this time directly. By teaching these elite orphans various skills and investigative techniques, he could send them out in the real world when it was time they could become a part of society. He had many encounters with children; however when his orphanage had opened and children had begun filling rooms, he couldn't help but wish he had children of his own.

After many years of waiting for the right one, it seemed Quillish Wammy had obtained that goal. Thinking back to the memories and events that led up to such a person in his care brought him happiness he now held close to him. There were many children he had loved and grown attached to, yet none other than the boy known as _L_ had reached him so deeply. Such a name of Ryuzaki was given to the boy as his own alias.

Watari currently stood in the suite of the young Ryuzaki, hands behind his back as he observed the adolescent. The back of the desk chair Ryuzaki was in faced him, and all the older man could see was from his shoulder blades and up, as well as his arms that perched his hands above a keyboard. His black hair was messy and unkempt, and it seemed that he was not wearing shoes or socks once again. Watari knew the younger male knew he was here, even if he still (after eight minutes) paid no attention to him. He had called for him after all, and of course Watari would come immediately, even if waiting time followed. Truthfully it gave him time precious time to think.

There was a dry cough before the already-famous detective stopped his typing at the keyboard and spun around on the chair to face the older man. Watari's own aged, wrinkling face was smoothed into a half smile as he studied the maturing boy. He could see how much Ryuzaki had grown and learnt from his time being here; his dark eyes held vast knowledge and capacity for even more. He was already sixteen, and yet he had solved numerous cases. Watari could confidently say he was proud. Right now he could tell that the certain expression on the boy's face, a very slight upturn of the lips, meant he solved the case he been assigned. "Now, what do you have for me this round?"

There was a blink from the boy before he spun around on the chair in a full circle, grabbing a stack of type-covered white paper on the desk before he faced Watari again after the full 360°. He stood up and walked over, holding the stack out in front of him with both hands, fingers glued together on bottom while two thumbs clamped the top.

Watari took the papers gently and skimmed them over, readjusting his glasses. "This is very well done, Ryuzaki. There is more than enough evidence and information to close the case. You finished it in record time as well. I am very pleased." He looked over the younger boy carefully. He exhibited little emotion, only a ghost of a smile was seen on his face. His face, the elderly man realized, looked to be paler than usual. He had always been a pallid boy from when he had arrived to the orphanage, yet he seemed more of a milky-white today. His large panda eyes were developing increasingly darker circles underneath as well. It was then he began wondering if there was something wrong, if he hadn't seen something he should have in Ryuzaki.

Ryuzaki turned and went back to his seat, leaning back in it with his arms behind his head, ankles crossed in front of him, facing the other man and door. There was a long silence that filled the air, making the clock on the wall tick loudly. "Is there something else you needed, Watari?" he asked after the pause.

Watari gave a thoughtful look. "Are you perhaps feeling ill today? Your complexion tells me there is something off," he explained himself as he watched closely for such reaction.

Of course, he received none. "No," Ryuzaki answered in a monotone.

"Is there anything _you_ need?" Watari asked. Things had been strange lately with the boy he considered his son. He had been noticing that things were changing in the past months, his behaviour becoming more distinct in some ways, and diminishing in others. Was there something he was missing? Was he not living up to the true standards of a father-figure? At times like this, when children were converting into young adults, it worried the man. What especially worried him were the words that came out of the boy's mouth.

"A piece of cheesecake would be nice," he replied quietly. He removed his hands from behind his head, placed one on his lap, the other went to his face where he stuck a thumb in his mouth and chewed at the tip. "Coffee would go well with that, actually. You can add a platter of strawberries to the tray as well."

A sharper pang of worry was ringing stronger now. Another order of something sweet? All Ryuzaki had eaten lately were sugar-laden cakes, pies, cookies and candies; for the past few weeks he had slowly been requesting less and less of what Watari considered normal food. That would explain his skin tone, he realized stupidly. He was worrying too much… He waited to see if there were any more requests, yet he received nothing. "I will bring them when they are ready." And he couldn't help but feel relieved as he watched the intensity of Ryuzaki's nibbles on his thumb increase.

Watari had seen Ryuzaki nibble at his thumb since day one. He had assured himself he would grow out of it, but it seemed that this would stay with him for a while longer. Sixteen was an unusual age to nibble your thumb at, but he was content, and he was happy. Watari went through the house to his own private room, going to the safe and opening it swiftly. He filed the papers away, locked it up, and headed down to the kitchen.

He was sure the reason he baked Ryuzaki's requests himself was simply because he had once told Watari he trusted very few people. He had taken it upon himself to ensure the safety to Ryuzaki, and if it were through a piece of cake, then so be it. As the white-haired man began mixing up the cheesecake mix, his thoughts wandered. When had things begun to change with Ryuzaki so quickly? Was it simply a phase of adolescence? Or was it his own fault, Watari pushing him too hard? As his intelligence increased, so did the intensity and difficulty of the cases he was assigned. Ranging from days to weeks, depending on the type of case, Ryuzaki could figure them out just like that. Could it be that he wasn't giving him enough days of rest between cases, then? Or was there something else, something beyond Watari's control?

Watari hardly noticed when the person of topic entered the kitchen, hands in his jean pockets. The retired-inventor had nearly missed it as he put the cheesecake into the oven, but he watched how Ryuzaki walked. It seemed Watari hadn't been paying enough proper attention to the young detective. As a little boy Ryuzaki had held beautiful posture; it was failing to please Watari now, and he would bet anything a massage would be needed sooner or later. Watari closed the oven door as he watched Ryuzaki perch on the kitchen chair, knees at his chest. Ah; so that was the cause of his poor posture developing. Very carefully, Watari spoke. "Why have you begun sitting in such a way?" he asked, beginning to make the coffee.

Ryuzaki looked up from behind his shaggy black bangs. "I've found I can concentrate easier. My deduction ability has increased tremendously."

Watari set out a coffee cup in front of Ryuzaki on the table, along with a small bowl of sugar cubes. "Have you been sleeping enough, Ryuzaki? You're looking tired. I can get you something to bring sleep upon you easier."

"No," the teenager answered with a board voice, "I purposely use the effects of caffeine and glucose to stay awake. Backtracking in that area would be pointless."

"So much sugar isn't healthy," Watari argued lightly. He now stood at the fridge, pulling out the carton of bright red strawberries, quickly heading to wash them in the sink. "I'm not keen on the idea of you having such a diet; in your position and importance, if you were to become ill, there would—"

"Watari," Ryuzaki interrupted, tilting his head. Quietness hushed over the kitchen, and Ryuzaki only spoke when the coffee gurgling became louder. "Why are you interrogating me? I get the feeling you now doubt yourself… again. You are doing nothing wrong as my assistant, teacher, handler and baker. I simply incorporate specific methods into my cases that I work better with in the means of _solving_ cases. There is nothing to worry about. There is nothing you need to fix. If there's anything I've learnt from you, especially when I was very young, it is that you need the drive and will to succeed. Is that not what I'm doing, yet in my own way? You have your own methods of succeeding. You focus on helping others, and in doing so it helps keep your mental stability such as a person using drugs would find. As I said, you have nothing to worry about."

Watari stared at the boy, smiling to himself now. He had truly taught him well, yet he couldn't take the full credit, nor did he want it. "I apologize. I suppose the fact you are growling older brings such changes. Do you wish I stop questioning any certain methods, Ryuzaki?" He bowed slightly, unsure.

There was a chuckle from the seated one. "I don't object, since I understand it's a known human instinct to pay close attention to one's offspring such as you've done since I came here at the age of six. There are only so many more years before I reach the age where I am considered a legal adult. I presume you would enjoy remaining such a father-figure in my life before then?"

The man's face had a smile on it, the corners of his eyes crinkled. The one he had grown attached to was, indeed, truly interesting and intelligent; someone he could say he loved him. And perhaps, by what L had said, he felt the same way as well. "Yes, Lawliet. For now."


End file.
